Disney 2014

Today we wrapped up our 2014 Disneyland year by using our passes for the last time before they expire. What an amazing year it was. It's fun looking back at the pictures to see how much Callen has grown. We also celebrated my and Makenzie's birthday today. Callen is able to suggest what he wants to do or see so we know exactly what his favorites are. His favorite ride is a toss up between the tea cups and the roller coaster in Toon Town. He also loves seeing mickey in his house, Tarzan tree house, and Mickey's Magical Map show. Today we made sure to stay till dark to see the Christmas parade. Too fun. Definitely one of the best Christmas presents ever. Thank you for a year of fun Mom! 

Christmas Tree 2014

Saturday we picked up our Christmas tree from Lowes (same place as last year). We decided to try out a new type of tree called the Grand Fern. It is beautiful and smells oh so amazing. Callen was beyond excited to pick out a tree and bring it home. Christmas is going to be awesome this year. 

baby perdue #2

I've realized I've mentioned nothing about my second pregnancy. Whoopsie! My apologies in advanced child number two. While pregnant with Callen I posted about every doctor appointment and took a belly shot at ever milestone, this time around has been different. Being pregnant while you have a child to occupy your mind, I've realized I haven't thought about it as much or paid as much attention as I did with my first pregnancy.

Today I had my 36 week doctor appointment with Dr. Tsai. She is super awesome. I asked a few friends who they saw and two of my closest friends both went to this office at Scripps Encinitas. After reading up on the two doctors in the office I picked Doctor Tsai because she is young, specialized in female surgery, and is a runner. That last one was the real winner. Having a baby in California versus Utah is totally different. In Utah I saw Dr. Holmes for every appointment and he was there for the entire delivery process. Here I meet with Dr. Tsai every other appointment and her PA, Margie, every other appointment. Dr. Tsai works in a large group of doctors who practice all over San Diego so when the time comes to deliver it could be any doctor in that group who is on call that day to deliver me.

We found out I was expecting at the very end of April and told our families on Mothers Day, May 11, 2014. We had Callen wear his "Big Brother" shirt and let everyone put it together. At eight weeks, May 29, 2014, we had our first doctor appointment to confirm the pregnancy with an ultrasound and meeting with Margie the PA.

August 8th, at 19 weeks, we had the big anatomy ultrasound and found out we were having a boy! Everything look fabulous. The ultrasound technologist even took extra pictures to show a class she teaches to demonstrate "perfect anatomy".

Since then we sailed through appointments monthly, then every two weeks. Today's 36 week appointment marks the beginning of my weekly appointments. Baby's heart beat has always been easy to find and loud, strong, and consistent. Belly measurement has always been right on track and my blood pressure has stayed nice and low. Today I asked Dr. Tsai to check me and I am 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. I can tell baby has dropped and his head is down. When he gets the hiccups it is way way low. Tristan has been able to join me in about half my appointments which has been great.

In the beginning I felt a tad more nauseous than I did with Callen but still nothing that slowed me down. I was able to exercise this pregnancy up through 31 weeks. I invested in a maternity running belt which I started wearing just after 20 weeks. At the end running became too painful for my bladder and i just stuck to my pregnancy workout DVD's. I've felt awesome this pregnancy and I think the difference was working out and staying as fit as possible while continuing to chase Callen around.

In the beginning Callen didn't understand baby brother but gradually he has become more excited and talks about him more and more. He will come up to hug my belly saying, "Oh baby brother, I love you". He also says, "I carry baby brother to the couch. He snuggle with Dad. He cold and I put a blanket on him. He cry and I say Shhh Shhh, its ok baby brother, don't cry."  "Is baby brother coming out?" Not yet Callen, baby brother has to grow bigger. "Baby brother growing bigger?" Since we moved Callen out of the crib into his big boy twin bed and moved the crib to baby brothers room he will ask if certain things are baby brothers or tells us he will share with baby brother.

27 weeks after my glucose test. 

Playing at the beach with Callen.

32 weeks with a rolled, swollen ankle at the beach.

35 weeks: bike ride on Coronado Island

Me and Callen at one of my doctor appointments:

carve that jack

Tonight we carved our pumpkins! We all make our own Jack-O-Lantern faces. Tristan asked Callen what shapes he wanted for the eyes and and the nose. Super fun family activity and Callen was loving it, minus putting his hand in the pumpkin...he didn't dare. 

Thunderbirds

Saturday we drove to Hill Air Force Base just a few miles from my Grandparents house to watch the air show. The grand finale was the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and I've never seen anything more impressive. 

They would fly right over my Grandparents house while practicing for the show and they were so loud at times it would shake the house. We came prepared to the air show in style. 

While on base we walked through the big cargo planes and Callen was able to sit in the cockpit of a smaller plane. He was flipping the switches like he knew what he was doing. 

Zion National Park

Before Brady and Rachel moved to Ohio my mom wanted Brady (who says he feels more at home among the red rock of Southern Utah than at home on the beach) to take us through Zion. We made it a family trip and drove up Friday afternoon. Callen always does much better in the car than I expect. I may have brought bread, peanut butter, and jelly to make fresh PB&J's in the car. Whatever works, right? Saturday morning we hit the park and decided to hike Angels Landing. It was a pretty steep climb and pee-your-pants scarry at the end but man was it beautiful. Something about those red mountains really has me in love. 

Once we got to the top of the main part of the hike you can go on up the cliffs by holding onto chains bolted into the rock. Tristan, Callen and my Dad stayed back while, Brady, Rachel, Makenzie, Mom and I continued on. Second scariest moment of my life. (The first is a whole other story.) Definite celebration when we reached the top. 

At the end of the hike we went down to the river and cooled off. Brady and Tristan swimming. 

That evening we drove through the Zion tunnel. One mile long tunnel had Callen in heaven. 

Sunday morning we adventured into the park again to hike The Narrows. Hiking through a narrow gorge created by the Virgin River was beyond beautiful. The majority of the hike is wading through water. Most of the time the river was ankle deep but there were portions that were thigh feeling making it extra exciting. 

We took Callen out of the back pack the last bit and he enjoyed walking through the water and rocks. 

Zion's will definitely have to happen again soon.